Image display apparatus, monitor apparatus and image processing apparatus

ABSTRACT

According to our invention, linked operation between a monitor apparatus for displaying images, and a set-top box for transmitting image signals to the monitor apparatus via a required interface, can be achieved properly, even if both units are constructed in casings separate from each other. The monitor apparatus uses a CEC line to transmit a CEC vendor command including at least a code associated with unit information, and the set-top box apparatus transmits the CEC vendor command including at least the code associated with the unit information. Upon receiving the vendor command from the set-top box apparatus, the monitor apparatus switches to the linked operation with the set-top box.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

The present application is a continuation application of Ser. No.12/327,834, filed Dec. 4, 2008 which claims priority from Japanesepatent application serial no. JP 2007-316529, filed on Dec. 7, 2007, thecontent of which is hereby incorporated by reference into thisapplication.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a technique for operating a monitorapparatus and an image processing apparatus properly in an image displayapparatus configuration established with both the monitor apparatus andthe image processing apparatus housed in casings separate from eachother, and interconnected via an interface.

(2) Description of the Related Art

In some of image display apparatuses such as the TV sets using a flatpanel such as a liquid-crystal display (LCD) panel or plasma displaypanel (PDP), the monitor apparatus including the flat panel, and theimage processing apparatus including a tuner are housed in separatecasings to allow, for example, wall mounting for improved flexibility ofinstallation layout. The technique described in JP-A-2005-086721, forexample, is known as one of such conventional techniques.

JP-A-2005-086721 describes a TV receiver of a form in which the imageprocessing apparatus with the tuner and image processing unit connectingto antenna terminals (this kind of image processing apparatus is oftencalled the “set-top box”), and the monitor apparatus including the flatpanel for image display are housed in separate casings andinterconnected via a special transmission cable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order that the set-top box apparatus and the monitor apparatus workcooperatively and operate as an integrated television receiver, bothunits need to recognize each other as a specific unit operable inmutually linked form. However, JP-A-2005-086721 does not disclose theconfiguration intended for both units to recognize whether theconnecting destination is a linkedly operable unit. Connecting theset-top box and the monitor apparatus to a unit not operable in mutuallylinked form is not considered, either. Additionally, neither doesJP-A-2005-086721 consider the following problems relating to a mismatchin power supply state between the set-top box and the monitor apparatus.That is to say, when either the set-top box or the monitor apparatus isin a power-off state, the user is usually not using the image displayapparatus having the particular set-top box and monitor apparatus, butdespite this, if one of the two units is powered on with the other unitoff, extra power will be consumed, even when the image display apparatusis not being used. Furthermore, the linked operation discussed above maybe impossible if one unit is powered off with the other unit on.

In the meanwhile, the interconnection of image units in recent years mayuse an interface based on the high-definition multimedia interface(HDMI) specifications intended for digital image and sound transmission(hereinafter, this interface is referred to simply as the HDMI). TheHDMI is provided for by the CEC (Consumer Electric Control)communications protocol established as an interunit controlcommunications protocol in HDMI-Specification Informational Ver. 1.0,for example.

The HDMI works so that in order for both the set-top box and the monitorapparatus to recognize each other as a unit operable in mutually linkedform, the signal-transmitting unit (here, the set-top box) acquires,from the signal-receiving unit (here, the monitor apparatus), extendeddisplay identification data (EDID: manufacturer name, product code,resolution, and more) as unit information related to thesignal-receiving unit. However, the monitor apparatus cannot acquireunit information about the set-top box apparatus under the HDMI scheme.

In addition, when the set-top box and the monitor apparatus areconnected by an HDMI cable via a relay unit having input/output portsadapted to the HDMI, the set-top box can acquire only unit informationof the relay unit and cannot acquire the unit information of the monitorapparatus. This indicates that there is the problem that the merepresence of the EDID information acquisition scheme does not allow theset-top box and the monitor apparatus to recognize each other and thusto operate as an integrated television receiver.

The present invention has been made with this problem taken intoaccount, and an object of the invention is to provide a technique foroperating properly in linked form a monitor apparatus and an imageprocessing apparatus, both constructed as units separate from eachother.

The present invention applies a required interface such as an HDMI tointerconnect a monitor apparatus used for displaying images, and animage processing apparatus used for providing an input image signal witha required process and then providing an output to the monitor apparatusvia the required interface. Thus, the monitor apparatus and the imageprocessing apparatus can both receive or transmit an authenticationcommand associated with each other, from the apparatus to which each isconnected. In addition, upon receiving the authentication command,either the monitor apparatus or the image processing apparatus or boththereof transmit and receive a control signal to operate in linked form.

The monitor apparatus is constructed to receive a remote control signalfrom a remote controller intended to operate the image processingapparatus, and when the monitor apparatus conducts the linked operation,a command based on the remote control signal received by the monitorapparatus is transmitted as the control command to the image processingapparatus via the interface, or when the monitor apparatus operatesindependently, the received remote control signal is processed insidethe monitor apparatus. Also, the image processing apparatus isconstructed to be able to transmit a control signal for adjusting imagequality, as the above control signal, to the monitor apparatus, and whenthe image processing apparatus conducts the linked operation, thecontrol signal for adjusting image quality is transmitted to the monitorapparatus via the interface.

The interface is preferably the HDMI. The authentication commands andthe control signal are transmitted through an internal CEC (ConsumerElectric Control) line of the HDMI.

During the linked operation, a built-in image quality correction unit ofthe image processing apparatus and that of the monitor apparatus may becontrolled in mutually linked form using the control signal.

Additionally, the present invention is constructed so that informationon power on/off states of the monitor apparatus and the image processingapparatus can be transmitted and received therebetween via the interfaceand so that respective power supplies of both units are controlled formatching in power on/off state. For example, when the power supply ofeither the monitor apparatus or the image processing apparatus is on,the power supply of the other unit is turned on, and when the powersupply of either unit is off, the power supply of the other unit isturned off. Power on/off matching control between the units is conductedusing the authentication command transmitted and received therebetween,and power on/off control is permitted when authentication with theauthentication command is conducted in the monitor apparatus or theimage processing apparatus.

Adopting this apparatus configuration establishes a system in which theimage processing apparatus and the monitor apparatus become linked tooperate an integrated television receiver.

According to the present invention, an image processing apparatus andmonitor apparatus constructed as units separate from each other can beoperated properly in linked form.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT

These and other features, objects and advantages of the presentinvention will become more apparent from the following description whentaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a first embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a linkage authentication command flowof the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a second embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C are diagrams illustrating power supply startingcommand flows of the first embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Hereunder, embodiments of the present invention will be describedreferring to the accompanying drawings.

First Embodiment

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention.A set-top box 11 and a monitor 12 are interconnected via an HDMI cable,constructing a television receiving system that operates as anintegrated image display apparatus. First, operation of the set-top box11 which is an image processing apparatus is described below. A press ofa power supply switch 110 turns on a power supply of the set-top box 11to load (read in) EDID 127 of the monitor 12 from a DDC interface 112and transmits the data 127 from the set-top box 11 to a controlmicrocomputer 113. As described in HDMI-Specification Informational Ver.1.0, the control microcomputer 113 acquires a physical address includedin the EDID, and the monitor 12 acquires a corresponding image format. Atuner 118 receives an image signal such as a digital television signal.This digital television signal is already compression-coded in, forexample, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, or the like. An image/sound signal processingunit 114 converts the compression-coded digital television signal into anon-compressed image signal, then further convert the non-compressedimage signal into the above-mentioned image format by pixel conversionand frame rate conversion, and transmits the image format from a TMDS(Transition Minimized Differential Signaling) transmitter 115 through aTMDS line 103 of the HDMI cable to the monitor 12. Also, the acquisitionof the above-mentioned physical address by the control microcomputerallows the set-top box 11 to transmit CEC commands as control signals.Therefore, the set-top box 11 transmits a polling CEC command from theCEC interface 111 to a CEC line 101 of the HDMI cable, thus defining alogical address within a CEC network. After defining the logicaladdress, the set-top box 11 transmits CEC commands to the entire CECnetwork to notify it of the logical address and the physical address.

Next, operation of the monitor 12 is described below. The image signalthat has been transmitted through the TMDS line 103 of the HDMI cable isreceived by a TMDS receiver 126, then undergoes image quality correctionby an image/sound signal processing unit 124, and is displayed on animage display 128. During the image quality correction process, controlfrom a control microcomputer 123 determines a correction level. Sincethe physical address of the monitor 12 is predetermined, the CECcommands as control signals can be transmitted once the controlmicrocomputer 123 has started operating. Accordingly, a polling CECcommand is transmitted from a CEC interface 121 to the CEC line 101 ofthe HDMI cable and a logical address within a CEC bus system is defined.After the definition of the logical address, CEC commands aretransmitted to the entire CEC network to notify it of the logicaladdress and the physical address.

The monitor 12 has a remote control signal receptor 129 to receive aremote control signal transmitted from a remote controller 14 foroperating or controlling the television receiving system, and themonitor 12 can activate its own power supply using a power supply ONsignal transmitted from the remote controller 14.

Next, linked authentication of the set-top box 11 and monitor 12 isdescribed below. FIG. 2 is a diagram that illustrates linkedauthentication. Reference number 11 in FIG. 2 denotes the set-top box11, and reference number 12 denotes the monitor 12. First, the set-topbox 11 executes an EDID read operation 211 for the monitor 12. Almostconcurrently with this, the monitor 12 issues a command 212 to theentire CEC network to notify it of the logical address “TV” and thephysical address. The set-top box 11 receives the command 212 andunderstands that a unit whose logical address is “TV” is present. Afterthis, the set-top box 11, upon the definition of the physical addressand the logical address, issues a command 213 to the entire CEC networkto notify it of a logical address “Tuner” and a physical address. Themonitor 12 receives the command 213 and understands that a unit whoselogical address is “Tuner is present. The commands 212 and 213 are alsoissued from other logical address “TV” units and physical address“Tuner” units, and linked authentication is not established because bothunits have recognized the presence of each other.

The issuance of the command 213 allows the monitor 12 to understand thatthe logical address “Tuner” unit has become ready to transmit andreceive CEC commands (i.e., that the “Tuner” unit has become able tooperate in linked form with the “TV” unit), so the monitor 12 issues alinked authentication CEC vendor command 214 that indicates a linkedlyoperable, specific unit. Upon receiving the vendor command 214, theset-top box 11 linkedly operable with the monitor 12 recognizes throughthe CEC network that the linkedly operable monitor is connected, andswitches to a linked operation mode. In addition, the set-top box 11issues a linked authentication CEC vendor command 215 that indicatesanother linkedly operable, specific unit. Upon receiving the vendorcommand 215, the monitor 12 recognizes that the linkedly operableset-top box is connected, and switches to the linked operation mode.These command sequences cause the set-top box 11 and the monitor 12 toenter the linked operation mode based on the CEC command transmittingand receiving via the CEC line 101, and thus to operate as theintegrated television receiving system.

In the linked operation mode, the set-top box 11 and the monitor 12 canbe powered on/off by operating either a power supply button of theremote controller 14, a power supply button 110 of the set-top box 11,or a power supply button 120 of the monitor 12. Details of linkedcontrol in power supply state between the set-top box 11 and the monitor12 will be described later herein. An image quality correction level ofthe image/sound signal processing unit 114 of the set-top box 11, andthat of the image/sound signal processing unit 124 of the monitor 12 arecorrection-controlled for appropriate image quality correction ofrespective image signals under a combined state. For example, a totalimage quality correction level of the image signals displayed on themonitor 12 may be predefined so that the set-top box 11 and the monitor12 are linked for distribution of this image quality correction level toboth units. For example, the image/sound signal processing unit 114 ofthe set-top box 11 may conduct image quality correction at nearly 10% ofthe total image quality correction level, and the image/sound signalprocessing unit 124 of the monitor 12 may conduct image qualitycorrection at the remaining 90% of the total image quality correctionlevel. This distribution rate may be changed according to particularsignal-processing capabilities of the image/sound signal processingunits 114 and 124 of the set-top box 11 and monitor 12. For example, ifthe image/sound signal processing unit 114 of the set-top box 11 islarger in throughput, the image quality correction level of theimage/sound signal processing unit 114 may be zeroed or reduced from anoriginal value while the image quality correction level of theimage/sound signal processing unit 124 may be increased. Furtheralternatively, the above distribution rate may be changed according to aparticular signal transmission state in the HDMI. For example, if asignal attenuation level in the HDMI is too high, the image qualitycorrection level of the image/sound signal processing unit 114 may bezeroed or reduced and only image quality correction with the image/soundsignal processing unit 124 may be conducted or the image qualitycorrection level of the image/sound signal processing unit 124 may beincreased. Otherwise, if the signal attenuation level in the HDMI is toohigh, both image/sound signal processing units may conduct image qualitycorrections at essentially the same correction level to provide a triflestrong quality correction.

Upon transmission of a menu display request signal from the remotecontroller 14 to the remote controller signal receptor 129 of themonitor 12, the request signal is transferred as a CEC command to theset-top box 11 via the CEC line 101, causing the set-top box 11 tocreate a menu screen in response to the CEC command. An image signalassociated with the menu screen is combined with a non-compressed imagesignal and further transmitted to the monitor 12 through the TMDS line103. Thus, the particular menu screen of the set-top box 11 is displayedon the monitor 12. A user operates the displayed menu screen using theremote controller 14. The control microcomputer 123 included in themonitor 12 then generates an appropriate process according to the kindof operation which the user has performed. Accordingly, functions of theset-top box 11 and monitor 12 are controlled at the same time. Forexample, if an operation for image quality adjustment such as contrastadjustment or brightness adjustment is selected on the menu screen viathe remote controller 14, the control microcomputer 123 converts theremote control signal into an image quality adjusting CEC command andtransmits the command to the set-top box 11 via the CEC line 101. Thus,the control microcomputer 113 included in the set-top box 11 controlsthe image/sound signal processing unit 114 in response to the CECcommand and conducts the selected (desired) image quality adjustment.Instead, image quality adjustment may be conducted by linked operationwith the image/sound signal processing unit 124 of the monitor 12, asdescribed above. If sound volume adjustment of sounds from a loudspeakernot shown is selected on the menu screen, the control microcomputer 123of the monitor 12 does not transmit the remote control signal as a CECcommand to the set-top box 11. Instead, the control microcomputer 113outputs the remote control signal to the image/sound signal processingunit 124 of the monitor 12. Thus, the volume of the sounds from theloudspeaker is adjusted to a desired level according to the remotecontrol signal. In this way, in the linked operation mode, whether thecontrol function is to be executed by the set-top box 11 or the monitor12 is discriminated according to the particular kind of command from theremote controller, and whether a CEC command is to be issued iscontrolled according to a particular result of the discrimination.

Furthermore, the present embodiment offers a game-playing low-delaydisplay mode. The image/sound signal processing units 114 and 124conduct, for example, a frame rate conversion process for increasing aframe count per unit time of input image signals, and a scaling processfor enlarging/reducing each image signal. When the frame rate conversionor the scaling process is executed, timing in which the image isdisplayed on the monitor 12 may be delayed by, for example, nearlyseveral tens to several hundreds of milliseconds (ms) behind acquisitiontiming of the input image signal. The game-playing low-delay displaymode reduces the above delay in image display by interrupting such aprocess (especially, the frame rate conversion). For example, if theset-top box 11 has a connected game-playing unit, when an active stateof the game-playing low-delay display mode is set on the menu screen,the image/sound signal processing unit 114 of the set-top box 11 will becontrolled to switch to the low-delay display mode. At the same time,the image/sound signal processing unit 124 of the monitor 12 will becontrolled using a CEC vendor command to switch to the low-delay displaymode. In this manner, in spite of the television receiving system beingof the dual-unit configuration, the set-top box 11 and the monitor 12can operate as if they were one integrated unit.

The set-top box 11 and the monitor 12 will each operate independently iftheir linked authentication ends up in failure. In that case, forexample, the monitor 12 will not transfer to the set-top box 11 theremote control signal received from the remote controller 14. Instead,the internal control microcomputer 123 will control the monitor 12 only.

A way to manage the power supplies of the set-top box 11 and monitor 12during linked operation, that is, a power supply matching control methodis described below. The power supply matching control is permitted whenthe authentication based on such authentication commands as describedabove is successfully conducted, that is, the control is executed onlywhen switching to the linked operation mode is completed.

During linked operation, the set-top box 11 and the monitor 12 both needto be powered on/off. Use of a specific control method, however, maycause mismatching in power supply state, as with one unit powered on andthe other unit powered off, and trouble with the linked operation mayresult. To avoid these inconveniences, it is desirable that either unitshould manage the power supplies of both units. In the configuration ofthe present embodiment, three methods exist for starting the powersupplies: (1) pressing the power supply switch 110 of the set-top box11, (2) transmitting a power ON signal from the remote controller 14 tothe remote control signal receptor 129 of the monitor 12, and (3)pressing a power supply switch 130 of the monitor 12.

First, method (1) is described below using the CEC command flowchartshown in FIG. 4A. A press of the power supply switch 110 makes theset-top box 11 to issue a CEC vendor command 411 instructing the monitor12 to turn on the power supply. After this, the set-top box 11 issues aCEC vendor command 412 to the monitor 12 to inquire about the powersupply state thereof. Upon receiving from the monitor 12 a CEC vendorcommand 413 indicating the power supply ON state, the set-top box 11operates to switch its own power supply to the ON state.

Next, method (2) is described below using the CEC command flowchartshown in FIG. 4B. Upon receiving the power ON signal from the remotecontroller via the remote control signal receptor 129, the monitor 12issues a CEC vendor command 414 that indicates the reception of theremote control signal instructing the set-top box 11 to turn on itspower. The set-top box 11 issues the CEC vendor command 411 instructingthe monitor 12 to turn on its power. After this, the set-top box 11issues the CEC vendor command 412 to the monitor 12 to inquire about thepower supply state thereof. Upon receiving from the monitor 12 the CECvendor command 413 indicating the power supply ON state, the set-top box11 operates to switch its own power supply to the ON state.

Next, method (3) is described below using the CEC command flowchartshown in FIG. 4C. A press of the power supply switch 130 causes themonitor 12 to issue to the set-top box 11 a CEC vendor command 415indicating the switch was pressed. The set-top box 11 issues the CECvendor command 411 instructing the monitor 12 to turn on the power.After this, the set-top box 11 issues the CEC vendor command 412 to themonitor 12 to inquire about the power supply state thereof. Uponreceiving from the monitor 12 the CEC vendor command 413 indicating thepower supply ON state, the set-top box 11 operates to switch its ownpower supply to the ON state.

In short, the monitor 12 does not immediately turn on the power, evenwhen the power supply button 130 that the monitor has is pressed or whenthe monitor receives the power ON signal from the remote controller.Instead, the monitor waits for the power ON instruction from the set-topbox before turning on the power. Additionally, the set-top box 11,before switching itself to the power ON state, makes sure that themonitor 12 has switched to the power ON state. In this way, mismatchingin power supply state can be avoided since the set-top box 11 providesintegrated management of the power supply states inclusive of the powerstate of the monitor 12 operating in linked form with the set-top box.While switching to the power ON state has been described, shifting tothe power OFF state is also controlled in like manner and can beaccounted for by reading “power OFF” for the “power ON” state in theabove description.

As set forth above, in the present embodiment, the set-top box 11 andthe monitor 12 authenticate each other by receiving the unit-associatedauthentication command from the connection destination unit, and the twounits require authentication before the linked operation of both ispermitted. Thus, only when connection is established between thespecific units whose linked operation has been permitted, the linkedoperation can be implemented between these units, with the result thatboth can operate properly in linked form in the television receivingsystem. This linked operation allows improvement of mismatching in powersupply state between the set-top box 11 and the monitor 12, and hence,improvement of extra power consumption and trouble relating to thelinked operation.

While the linked operation in the embodiment described above ispermitted only when the set-top box 11 and the monitor 12 are bothsuccessfully authenticated, the linked operation may be permitted evenwhen either unit only is authenticated. This authentication ispreferably conducted at least at the monitor side. In addition, whilethe television receiving system has been described by way of example,the present invention is not limited to this system and can, of course,be applied to an apparatus that outputs image signals as set forthabove, and to a system that displays images by receiving the imagesignals.

Second Embodiment

The following describes a second embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example in a second embodiment ofthe present invention. The present embodiment includes a sound amplifierunit 33 inserted between the set-top box 11 and monitor 12 of the firstembodiment via the HDMI. This sound amplifier unit 33 is connected to aplurality of loudspeakers, for example, and outputs sound signals fromeach of the connected speakers, in collaboration with the speakeroriginally provided in the monitor 12, or in place of a speaker of amonitor 32. The set-top box 31 and monitor 32 shown in FIG. 3 aresubstantially the same units, including respective internalconfigurations, as the set-top box 11 and monitor 12 described and shownin FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 3, the sound amplifier unit 33 uses a TMDS receiver336 to receive a TMDS signal from the set-top box 31, and outputs theTMDS signal directly from a TMDS transmitter 335. In addition, the soundamplifier unit 33 extracts a sound signal present in duplexed form inthe TMDS signal, and uses a sound-processing unit 334 to process theextracted sound signal under control from a control microcomputer 333.The sound amplifier unit 33 acquires EDID of the monitor 32 via a DDCinterface and incorporates a physical address and monitor-acceptableimage format information into the EDID 327. The set-top box 31 and themonitor 32 transmit and receive CEC commands via a CEC interface 321.

The present embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that sincethe sound amplifier unit 33 is connected between the set-top box 31 andthe monitor 32, the set-top box 31 cannot directly acquire the EDID ofthe monitor 32. Even in this connection configuration, however, thepresent embodiment allows the set-top box 31 to acquire the EDID of themonitor 32, since the EDID is stored into the sound amplifier unit 33temporarily and then transmitted to the set-top box 31 via the CECinterface. Thus, in order that a linked authentication process for theset-top box 31 and the monitor 32 is achieved in the CEC vendor commandflow sequence described per FIG. 2, linked operation can be implemented,even in the connection state that does not allow direct acquisition ofthe EDID.

While we have shown and described several embodiments in accordance withour invention, it should be understood that the disclosed embodimentsare susceptible of changes and modifications without departing from thescope of the invention. Therefore, we do not intend to be bound by thedetails shown and described herein but intend to cover all such changesand modifications that fall within the ambit of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A monitor apparatus connected to an imageprocessing apparatus via a given interface, the apparatus configured todisplay an image based on an image signal input from the imageprocessing apparatus via the given interface, the monitor apparatuscomprising: a communication unit including a transmitter and a receiver,wherein when an operation for controlling a power is performed, thecommunication unit is configured to transmit a first command, accordingto the operation, to the image processing apparatus via the giveninterface, and to receive a second command via the given interface, thesecond command issued from the image processing apparatus in response tothe first command; and a controller configured to control a power of themonitor apparatus in accordance with the second command received by thecommunication unit, wherein when the communication unit receives fromthe image processing apparatus a third command for inquiring about apower on/off status of the monitor apparatus whose power is controlledby the first command, and the communication unit is configured totransmit to the image processing apparatus, via the given interface, afourth command indicative of the power on/off status of the monitorapparatus, in response to reception of the third command.
 2. The monitorapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation for power controlis in regards to a power button provided on the monitor apparatus, or inregards to a power button provided on a remote controller for use inoperating the monitor apparatus.
 3. The monitor apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the first command, second command, third command, andfourth command are each transmitted and received after a connection of aparticular image processing apparatus to the monitor apparatus has beenauthenticated.
 4. The monitor apparatus according to claim 1, whereinthe given interface includes a high definition multimedia interface(HDMI).
 5. The monitor apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the firstcommand, second command, third command, and fourth command are eachtransmitted and received through a consumer electric control (CEC) lineof the HDMI.
 6. The monitor apparatus according to claim 4, wherein animage signal input from the image processing apparatus, through theHDMI, is a non-compressed image signal.
 7. An image processing apparatusconfigured to output an image signal to a monitor apparatus fordisplaying an image, comprising: a controller configured to issue afirst command for controlling a power of the monitor apparatus, inaccordance with an operation for a power control; and a communicationunit including a transmitter and a receiver, configured to transmit thefirst command to the monitor apparatus through a given interface;wherein the communication unit is configured to transmit a secondcommand to the monitor apparatus via the given apparatus, the secondcommand being for inquiring about a power on/off status of the monitorapparatus controlled by the first command; wherein the communicationunit is further configured to receive a third command indicative of thepower on/off status of the monitor apparatus issued in response to thesecond command at the monitor apparatus; and wherein the controller isconfigured to control a power of the image processing apparatus in sucha manner that the power of the image processing apparatus willcorrespond to the power on/off status of the monitor apparatus shown inthe third command which has been received by the communication unit. 8.The image processing apparatus according to claim 7 further comprising:a tuner configured to receive a digital television signal that has beencompression-coded; wherein the image processing apparatus is configuredto convert the digital television signal received by the tuner into anon-compressed image signal, and to output the signal to the monitorapparatus via the given interface.
 9. The image processing apparatusaccording to claim 7, wherein the operation for power control includesat least one of: an operation in regards to a first power buttonprovided on the monitor apparatus, and an operation in regards to asecond power button provided on a remote controller for use in operatingthe monitor apparatus; wherein the communication unit is configured toreceive a power control command issued at the monitor apparatus inresponse to any of: the operation of the first power button and theoperation of the second power button; and wherein the controller isconfigured to issue the first command in accordance with the powercontrol command received by the communication unit.
 10. The imageprocessing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the operation forpower control is in regards to a third power button provided on theimage processing apparatus; and wherein the controller is configured toissue the first command in response to the operation of the third powerbutton.
 11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, whereineach of the first command, the second command, and the third command aretransmitted and received after a connection of a particular imageprocessing apparatus to the monitor apparatus has been authenticated.12. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein thegiven interface includes a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI).13. The image processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein eachof the first command, the second command, the third command, and afourth command are transmitted and received through a consumer electriccontrol (CEC) line of the HDMI.